


In the Blinded Parade you are the only one I see.

by pseudofoucault333



Series: 30 days of Sterek [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, BAMF Laura Hale, Background Kate Argent/Peter Hale, Baker Stiles Stilinski, Barista Derek, Bisexual Derek Hale, Delivery Person Stiles Stilinski, Derek is a Failwolf, Derek-centric, F/M, Gay Stiles, M/M, Matchmaker Laura, Meddling Cora, Meddling Laura Hale, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Past Braeden/Derek Hale, Past Derek Hale/Paige, Past Jennifer Blake/Derek Hale, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Pining Derek, Reporter Laura Hale, Stiles Stilinski & Malia Tate Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-24
Updated: 2015-07-24
Packaged: 2018-04-10 22:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4410629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudofoucault333/pseuds/pseudofoucault333
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day that Cora's Bakery gets a new Delivery guy is the day that Derek finds a new crush. Someone that he desperately wants but seems taken, or is he really all that he seems?</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Blinded Parade you are the only one I see.

**Title:** In the Blinded Parade you are the only one I see  
**Author:** Redtintedhale // pseudofoucault333  
**Rating:** M  
**Pairing:** Derek/Stiles  
**POV:** 3rd  
**Summary:** The day that Cora's Bakery gets a new Delivery guy is the day that Derek finds a new crush. Someone that he desperately wants but seems taken, or is he really all that he seems?  
**Disclaimer:** The whole concept of Teen Wolf © the Satan that is Jeff Davis, don’t sue because the contents of my bank account is only worth next to nothing in US$. Also and I can't stress this enough I don't give permission for this or any other of my stuff to be reposted on Goodreads or anywhere else. If I find out it is I'll be pissed. Plot mostly based on fiction…i.e not real….but a girl can wish <3 title © Scars on 45. This was written for my own 30 days of Sterek as I was trying to inch my way into the Teen Wolf Fandom. **Author Notes:** This is my first time writing sterek, I hope the characterisations aren't too OOC for an AU. The fic is unbeta'd so all mistakes etc remain my own. Comments  & Kudos = pwp and cookies :D

It had been Laura’s idea; opening a café in a part of New York that no Starbucks had yet touched which was rare if you actually thought about it. Though even Derek had to admit it did mean their clientèle was not half as demanding as the coffee snobs that frequented their various stores. But every so often, as he was walking towards their premise on the quieter side of Manhattan and he spotted one Starbucks filled to the brink with customers, he did wonder why he had stupidly agreed to sign on the dotted line with her as a partner. Mostly they only just managed to scrap through each month for the rent and the various products that were needed for each overly caffeinated drink. But though he hated to admit it, it had been an enormous relief once he was out of school to have somewhere to work since his student job had been on a semester by semester basis if that.

But the fact that he was the manager on top of co-owner to Laura’s ownership, while she still worked as a journalist at the Times, meant he had most of the control. He could hire who he saw as the best employees instead of being completely biased like he knew Laura had the tendency to be based on a pretty face. No, for Derek, while it was good for him to get to know his employees and on occasion socialise with them when he had time outside of ordering new inventory or overlook the payroll, he took their employability in to consideration more than anything else.

This morning he was the one opening up, since surprise, surprise most of his student workforce had lectures until the afternoon or just wanted to claim they were studying when they were really doing anything but. God Derek can’t remember the last time he had a proper lie in. He sighed and grumbled under his breath about being a push over as he pulled his keys from his jacket pocket. 

Whoever had been the one to lock up the night before, which he had a feeling was either Scott or Isaac, had obviously been in a real hurry to leave. The end of the day routine of putting the chairs up on the table to mop and or sweep up had been a slap dash job causing Derek to sigh as he kept the closed sign on, just another half hour before they officially opened, to clean up this mess. He set his bag behind the counter with his jacket and his keys for safe keeping before tying an apron over his jeans to save them from any stains or slopping water before starting the job. 

Though the café was only a small one, holding a few tables and a bench that followed the length of the front windows, it was surprising how the other employees still couldn't seem to clean it properly without some complaint. It got a little harder when the warmer months kicked in and the outdoor tables were pulled out of storage, but the rest of the year was simple. Every table that Derek swept and washed under in succession he’d pause to grab the chairs down from the table and put them under it. After years of practise through his time as a student it didn’t take him long to have the whole room, including under the bench, done and all seats on the floor. He was just wiping down the last table, something else the other person should have done the night before if the crumbs and stains were anything to go by, when his first two employees of the day arrived. 

Kira and Erica usually took the late morning shifts since their courses were mostly afternoon to evening, but meant they still had to pay the bills somehow. The two women chattered amongst themselves as they came in through the front door and seemed to ignore Derek who by now had moved on to turning on the espresso machine before grabbing his things and going to the small store room which also served as his office. If he’d had his way they would have got a bigger premises with an actual office and an actual kitchen to make their produce instead of having to team up with his younger sister Cora’s Bakery a block away for sandwiches and sweets. But Laura had merely said it was something to work up to, causing Derek to sigh but give in. It had been that premises or being unemployed so he’d kept his mouth shut and dealt with it.

“Hey Derek!! I think we need some more of the Arabica beans.” Erica called out, the clinking of porcelain telling Derek one of the two girls was unloading the dishwasher thankfully.

“Yeah I’m coming,” Derek sighed, stowing his things away into one of the lockers for staff use that made up the wall beside the open doorway before turning to the adjoining wall filled with their stock. He grabbed a bag of the Columbian Arabica beans along with some of the Robusta before peak hour kicked in and went outside to stow them in the shelves, only looking round when he heard someone struggling to open the door with what equated to several wrapped sandwiches and cupcakes on the palette.

“We’re not open yet!” Derek called out; wondering where the hell Kira and Erica had disappeared to all of a sudden.

Finally the individual managed to open the door, the palette rested on one hand while the other pushed the door open, flailing a little as they made their way towards the counter.

“Hey I have a delivery from Cora’s Bakery for someone called Derek?” a male voice said, putting the palette down on the counter which Derek knew was going to need to be cleaned again at this rate.

“Yeah that’s me…” Derek said, quickly beginning to move the sandwiches and bread goods from the palette into the glass cabinet after putting on rubber gloves. He could feel a pair of eyes watching him from the other side of the counter and found himself pausing before moving to the sweets to look up, his heart jumping in his chest at the sight he found.

The guy looked like he could have been an undergrad, maybe if he stretched his imagination a first year post grad, but something about him made Derek’s mouth go dry. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the moles that dotted his skin, the fact his hair made Derek want to run his fingers through it even though he could see the gel holding it in place or better yet the lips that were being grazed by a shy tongue. But up until that moment Derek had found his gaze fixated on his lips, but when he finally met his gaze it was like a spark flowed through his body. The eyes, while easily being described as brown, were not just brown. They seemed to be a multitude of brown shades trapped in those irises, amber, whiskey and hazel all combined leaving the most entrancing sight Derek had ever seen.

“Er…hello…you ok dude?” the guy asked, causing Derek to be snapped from his thoughts to see he looked worried as though he had been obviously staring. 

Quickly Derek found his walls coming up, out of sheer embarrassment or just self-preservation it was hard to tell, his gaze moving back down to the baked goods as he nodded silently. His entire vocabulary seemed to have flown out the window just at the sight of this one guy. In reply to his question he just gestured for the paperwork he obviously needed to sign wordlessly.

The younger male still looked concerned but handed the clipboard over with a pen which had been sitting in the bottom of the palette. He took it from Derek when he’d signed it, removing the bottom copy for Derek’s records, and scratching the back of his head as he began to walk backwards towards the door with his gaze still rested on Derek. It was like he wanted to say something but didn’t know what. It wasn’t until Derek heard the door close behind him that the elder male looked up at the door he had passed through.

“Fuck.”

He ended up finishing off unloading the baked goods himself, putting the palette aside for someone to take back to the bakery on their break. Usually it would be him, but after the encounter with him it was probably best he didn’t. Maybe he’d make Scott do it as a punishment for the mess this morning.

“Ah the food arrived,” Erica chirped from where she was leaning in the doorway behind him causing Derek to glower at her.

“Where the hell were you?” Derek demanded causing her smile to fade a little.

“Me and Kira were just clearing up all the cigarette butts and checking whatever else we needed in the stock room. What’s your damage?” Erica asked, causing Derek to just shake his head and stalk around the counter to turn the sign from ‘closed’ to ‘open’. 

Only then, when he’d jarred the door open with the porcelain wolf they used as a doorstop did he stalk back into the stock room and collapse behind his desk. Murmuring “Fuck,” under his breath over and over again with every time his head hit the table.

XOX

Thankfully Kira and Erica were run off their feet with customers while Derek stayed in the stockroom trying to get his mind lost in the series of numbers, inventory lists and paperwork for the orders for Cora’s for the next month. But it was hard for him to concentrate, all he would see would be those eyes staring back at him, filled with concern but also a spark that had every part of Derek’s body just humming.

It had been so long since he had last dated. Since the incident with Kate, the whore that had used him and spat him out like a piece of gum, it had become increasingly harder for him to get close to people. His confidence shot and ruined beyond repair. Of course with Kate it hadn’t helped that he’d since discovered she had moved on to his uncle Peter…and that they were due to be getting married in the spring. Yeah that had been a kick in the teeth. Laura had been as understanding as she was able about his disaster with Kate but after topping it with his infatuation with Paige who died in childbirth…not his child thank god, it was getting harder and harder for him to put himself out there.

He had been with Braeden the equivalent of six months, but that had been during his post grad year…no matter how he had tried to tell himself it meant nothing on his end it had seemed like it had for her. Only when she realised that he would never be able to give himself fully to her, emotionally as well as physically, had she found Aidan. And Jennifer had been a mess before it even began, a one night stand with no possibility of going anywhere else. 

And while all his relationships had been with a woman he’d never limited himself to just that. Admitting to Laura at his high school graduation he was bi had been the most nerve wrecking thing in his life, eased by Laura’s own admission of being gay so at least they understood each other. But no matter how hard he had stared at guys walking past him, the urge to ask them out had never kicked in quite as hard as it had when he met him.

Finally Lunch time came around and Derek emerged to buy something, since he refused to just take something because it was like stealing from himself, before going through the back entrance. He sat on the fire escape stairs while sipping his coffee, surprised when Kira emerged beside him sitting a step below him like giving him some space if he wanted it.

“Erica told me you were freaking out when she came in before we opened, you OK?” Kira asked, sipping her coffee, though her gaze remained locked on him.

“Shouldn’t you be inside?” Derek asked, knowing he was coming off as a gruff but he had never exactly been one to talk about his feelings with anyone…well except Laura but that was once in a blue moon at best.

“Isaac turned up with Scott. He’s covering me while I take my break.” Kira said simply without even blinking an eyelid. It was like she knew he was going to try and push her away. He had that kind of reputation amongst his staff he supposed.

“I’m fine, Scott left a mess this morning that’s all. That on top of all the paperwork, the inventory I need to take and the payroll stuff it was the last straw I suppose.” Derek sighed, knowing he wasn’t telling her the complete truth but it wasn’t a full out lie.

“Yeah, I think I may have been the one responsible for that unfortunately. We were going to the movies last night…” Kira murmured, blushing a little as though she felt guilty at making Derek so stressed. 

Kira was a sweet kid really. All of his staff were, sure they had their flaws when it came to some tasks but Derek knew he was lucky to have them. But he knew if he told them about the guy they wouldn’t let it go. Every time they went out, they were always trying to find someone for him to go home with, it was often the reason he’d call it a night earlier than he should. They would do everything possible to get the two of them alone together and that was the last thing he needed.

“It’s Ok Kira, Look why don’t you go in and tell Scott to take the palette back to Cora’s, yeah? I’m going to finish this and I’ll be right in.” Derek assured her, trying to push a reassuring smile on his face. It seemed to work a little as she nodded, pushing herself up from the step and disappearing inside causing Derek to groan into his coffee.

XOX

While part of Derek had hoped that the guy was just a one-time stand in for their usual delivery person, his cousin Malia, it soon became obvious that he was here to stay. The second time Derek saw him, he was supervising Scott and Boyd opening up, another part of Scott’s punishment for messing up closing up. Not that it seemed to be bothering Scott, even if he had cast his puppy dog look at him when he’d put the schedule up on the noticeboard. But fortunately for Derek he had become immune to it years ago.

The guy was chatting with Scott excitedly, talking with his hands and a bright smile on his face that made Derek’s heart jump in his throat at the sight. It was only when Scott had finished putting the goods into the cabinet, and Derek needed to sign for them that he appeared from the back. Immediately it seemed the smile on his face faded at Derek’s appearance causing Derek to keep his gaze fixated firmly on paperwork as he took his copy before handing the clipboard back.

Derek watched discreetly from the back as Scott and the guy then chatted a bit more under their breath as though not wanting him to hear the conversation’s subject. The elder male sighed as he went back to the stock room, burying his face in his hands once he was out of sight.

The third time Laura had made a rare appearance on a weekend to help Derek with the inventory, which she doesn’t do half as much as she should in Derek’s opinion. Usually bugging him more than actually helping. Kira and Scott were flirting over the counter while Lydia was texting someone obliviously at her spot by the espresso machine as she often did half the time she was here. It was only the sound of Scott saying the word “Stiles!” that seemed to announce his arrival. 

Derek paused from counting how many bottles of vanilla syrup they had to sneak a look at him around the doorway, which he prayed Laura didn’t notice. Unfortunately he had never exactly managed to fool his elder sister when it came to anything. So part of him wasn’t exactly surprise when he heard her clear her throat rather loudly causing his gaze to be pulled from the attractive male’s form back to the bottles of syrup in the hopes to keeping her prying at bay. Of course his prayers always seem to go unanswered when it comes to Laura, no matter the subject.

“Stiles huh? I haven’t seen him before.” Laura said knowingly, leaning in the doorway with the clipboard leaned against the frame and her pen doodling something undoubtedly crude in the border around the form as she none-too-subtly looked Stiles over.

“Yeah…he’s the new delivery boy from Cora’s. I don’t know what happened to Malia.” Derek sighed, pushing himself upright after jotting the number of bottles needed on the back of his hand before he ended up having to recount again.

“Maybe she finally decided she wanted to put all her energy to good use for once and running to and from here every morning wasn’t doing it for her.” Laura suggested, grabbing him by the wrist to take note of the amount of bottles in the form before going back to her doodling as Derek moved on to the orange syrup.

“Malia, baking? The last time she was put in charge of making an omelette she set the whole kitchen on fire. I would hope that Cora would have more sense than to trust her.” Derek frowned, his gaze fixated on the bottles as he mentally took count.

“Well I don’t know, we’ll have to ask Cora the next time we have a family dinner.” Laura sighed, clicking her chewing gum listlessly and making Derek lose count causing him to cast a glare at her over his shoulder before starting again. At this rate he would still be going until Christmas.

Silence past between the two siblings only really kept at bay by the conversation Stiles, Scott and Kira were having out front and the playlist that was on repeat, Kira’s if all the pop rock was anything to go by. But of course while Derek hoped that would be the end of the matter, he knew Laura well enough to know she was trying to decide a good enough gap before saying what he knew was coming.

“…still he seems kind of cute, don’t you think?”

And there it was. Derek’s gaze remained resolutely on the bottles until he reached the last one, jotting the number on his left index knuckle before moving to the mint syrup. He let Laura grab his wrist again as he moved, not responding to her prying and beginning to count again. Thankfully this was the last shelf so he would be able to loose himself in something minus numbers at his break before moving on to the next load of paperwork.

“OK your whole ignoring me thing is speaking volumes compared to you flat out denying he’s cute Der, so out with it.” Laura said, causing Derek’s shoulders to sag as Scott called for one of the two Hale siblings to come sign for the food. 

Derek took a glance at Laura as if silently prompting her, just this once, to sign for them causing an eyebrow to be raised. With a sigh after she got no verbal explanation, she handed him the clipboard and ventured out front to chat, leaving Derek staring resolutely at the bottles. He knew this wasn’t the last word on Stiles from Laura but for the time being he would rather be in his office not watching the smile fade from Stiles’ face again at his mere presence.

 

It wasn’t until the café was shut that night and Laura was dragging Derek to a bar instead of letting him cacoon himself in his apartment with a White Collar boxset, a maximum bag of popcorn covered in melted Reeses and sound cancelling earphones as he did every night. His reluctance was half hearted only because he knew what the subject of the night was going to be and didn’t relish the thought of having to explain to Laura how much of an idiot he was by screwing up his first impression with the younger male.

So he was slightly surprised when they ended up at the bar behind Cora’s Bakery, which they only usually went to with Cora after a family dinner or worse still when it was a staff night out. But the fact it was close to Cora’s made alarm bells start ringing in Derek’s head as though he knew exactly what Laura’s intention was for dragging him here. He only prayed that he was wrong. 

It wasn’t exactly the kind of bar that the district and people who lived in the flats above supported, more for students on pub crawls to grab one drink before moving on to another more inclusive bar. More the type of place where to enter it you had to go down the alley behind the bakery to enter and filled solely with the bar and a few minuscule booths occupying each corner which meant you were destined, whether sober or drunk, to end up sitting in someone else’s lap.

Boyd, who also worked as a barista for Derek during the day, doubled as a bouncer there meaning there was little hassle in them entering and Cora’s newest boy toy Liam was the regular bartender, keeping them in as many free drinks as he could manage to get away with. But as Laura lead the way towards the bar, the sight of Cora and Malia chatting to Stiles quickly made Derek stop mid step, all his senses screaming for him to just get out of there before he was spotted. He knew that it wasn’t going to be that easy with both his sisters around, and as if on cue he heard his elder sister’s voice in his ear.

“Come on Der, before Cora draws his attention to us.” She murmured from behind him as Derek watched Stiles laugh at something that Malia had said. 

But something in the way the two were looking at each other made Derek’s heart wilt in his chest as he wished Stiles would look at him like that. Still regardless he pushed himself to keep walking towards the bar, letting himself be pulled into a bone crushing hug by his younger sister when Liam brought her attention to his presence while Laura ordered for the two of them.

He pushed a smile on his face before meeting Cora’s gaze, letting Malia hug him tightly from behind in greeting, his gaze quickly moving to the drink that Liam put in front of him. He mostly made sure to say nothing, while his sisters chattered amongst themselves occasionally eyeing him up as thought Laura had told their younger sibling about how he had reacted to Stiles’ presence at the Café. But the whole time when he wasn’t looking at his beer or his sisters he’d be watching out the corner of his eye how Malia and Stiles were flirting, barely restraining the urge to order something stronger so that he had an excuse to leave earlier.

He could feel another gaze lingering on him from the other side of the bar as he took a sip of his beer, merely nodding at something Liam was yammering about a mile a minute in front of him. Derek was still sipping his beer when he felt a presence beside him, which was made all the more obvious by the way Liam raised an eyebrow at his undivided attention and jerked his head at the person beside him, silently prompting him to stop being rude in a way that would make Laura proud.

With a sigh, Derek took another sip of his beer before looking to the side. He was rather surprised to see Stiles standing beside him, his head tilted like a puppy, his mouth open like he was silently in awe of something causing Derek to clear his throat which seemed to snap Stiles from his thoughts.

“Sorry…oh my god I’m so sorry I must seem like such a weirdo just standing there gawping…” Stiles rambled, his mouth still running a mile a minute causing Derek to raise an eyebrow. 

He was still yammering minutes later until Malia appeared, making the same something that had wilted before seemed to completely self implode in Derek’s chest by the way she touched him and lead him away from Derek. Almost as though she was trying to calm Stiles down, but the hand on his shoulder that strayed down his hoodie clad arm really didn’t seem to be for comfort.

That sight was more than enough for Derek, who downed the last of his beer and ignored what his sisters would think of him as he handed Liam cash for his drink with an implied tip before walking out the bar. He could hear Boyd or someone calling after him as he skulked down the alley way back in the direction of his apartment. No, never again, not if his life depended on it, he’d rather die than be in Stiles and Malia’s presence again let alone let Laura or Cora try and talk him into being around them.

It was bad enough that he had ridiculously obvious feelings for him, but for them to be for someone that was dating his cousin was an all time low. He’d rather just stop dating all together. He groaned into his hands when he was in his apartment, wishing he had given into the urge to get completely drunk before he left after all, because at least then he would have been able to erase all thoughts of Stiles and Malia. 

He threw himself on to his bed after locking up and making sure to put his phone on silent before falling asleep. No, Laura would have to cover him for tomorrow morning because right at that moment he just couldn’t face having to see the younger man.

XOX

As he expected when he woke there was a barrage of missed calls and texts waiting for him from one sister or another probably about his disappearance from the night before, though the calls were mostly from Laura which would probably be asking why he hadn’t turned up that morning.

And though he would have given anything to avoid seeing the knowing look on his sister’s face as she asked him about his departure the night before or listen to her harp on and on about how he should have made the effort to speak to Stiles like the younger male had him. It was easy to say of course, but not so easy for Derek to actually follow through with…still regardless he made himself get up to shower, texting Laura to let her know he’d be there soon. Still hopefully the high point of his day would be avoiding the awkwardness of seeing Stiles which he could really do without.

At least that’s what he thought until he walked into the café half an hour later and spotted Stiles sitting at the bench in the window with his gaze on his phone at that exact moment. So there was a god. Derek’s eyes widened at the sight of him there, but managed to sneak behind the counter despite Scott and Isaac’s knowing looks, and into the stockroom/office before anyone brought Stiles’ attention to his presence.

Of course it was when he was in the safety of his office that he spotted Laura glowering at him from behind the desk as he put his things into his locker, hoping he could do that much before she started tearing him to shreds.

“Nice of you to finally show yourself Derek.” She snipped, causing Derek to sigh and rub at his eyes tiredly.

“Laura, don’t start.” He murmured, reluctantly turning around to face her though he would have rather been anywhere else.

“No come on, explain to me exactly why you decided last night to leave. Or better yet why you decided this morning to not turn up to open up so Erica and Lydia had to call me, on my day off.” Laura pushed, causing Derek to just shake his head silently in response.

“How about instead of all that, which has nothing to do with you by the way, you tell me why Stiles is still here?” Derek asked, watching Laura roll her eyes as she got out of his chair and moved to lean against the shelves once he was sat down, her arms crossed.

“He actually did come here to deliver the day’s delivery but wanted to hang around to speak to you about last night. He’s drunk three special lattes and endured Cora’s wrath if one extremely loud phone call is anything to go by waiting, so give the kid a break.” Laura said, causing Derek to groan in the back of his throat.

“Just tell him to go back, the last thing I want to do right now is speak to him.” Derek murmured, avoiding his elder sister’s gaze by organizing the piles of paperwork on his desk for something to do.

“Oh come on Derek, he obviously feels bad for how he was gawping and stuttering at you, just let him apologise if it makes him feel better.” Laura sighed.

“Just tell him I accept his apology so he can go, I’m surprised you didn’t just do that already.” Derek sighed, his gaze still anywhere but on his sister, even though part of him was actually itching to just see Stiles.

But what would be the point? Seeing the one person he can’t have in front of him, being adorable and perfect and everything he wanted but couldn’t touch with a ten foot pole really was a level of hell he would rather avoid. Hell there was really nothing to say that Stiles even swung that way, no keeping his distance is definitely for the best.

His thoughts were disturbed by the sound of a fist knocking against the open door to the office causing both siblings to look in it’s direction and see Stiles stood there looking slightly uneasy while also like a god that Derek would love to be fucking over his desk with his tight skinny jeans around his ankles. And this is why they definitely shouldn’t be within ten feet of each other, Derek reminded himself.

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting something? Scott told me that you were finally back here.” The younger man said his gaze flicking back and forth between siblings but resting solely on Derek after a few seconds who wanted to doc Scott’s wages for getting involved.

“No it’s OK Stiles, I was just going to go and help Scott and Isaac. I’ll leave the two of you to it.” Laura said, causing Derek to stifle a sigh but resolutely move his gaze back to his desk before any more fantasies began springing to the front of his mind, involving less clothes and more inventive positions.

He heard Laura leave and Stiles swallow as he edged into the office, his fingers fidgeting with his phone like he really couldn’t keep still with nerves in Derek’s presence. It seemed like he was working up the courage to say something as a silence filled the office before quickly been filled with Stiles’ words.

“So…I was a little surprised when you just left like that last night. Malia told me it’s not like you to do that without at least saying goodbye.” Stiles said, the sound of his cousin’s name on the younger male’s lips causing Derek to internally flinch.

“I wasn’t really in the mood to be drinking excessively in the first place. I only went because Laura dragged me.” Derek said softly, taking the odd glimpse at Stiles to see him licking his lips as he nodded in silent understanding.

“I get that, I didn’t really want to go either…Cora and Malia both talked me into it after I accepted my new contract at the Bakery. I didn’t even know you were going to be there until you and Laura walked in. If I’d know my being there would have made you leave I would have talked my way out of it.” Stiles said, his fingers still fidgeting with his phone.

“It doesn’t matter. Your flailing attempt at chatting me up was rather sweet, you didn’t need to come here and apologise. You should probably go back before Cora blows a gasket.” Derek nodded, hoping that would be more than enough for Stiles to finally leave.

“Yeah, I kinda didn’t just come here to apologise…I just told Laura that so she would let me stick around. And I’m sure Cora will be able to make do without her fellow baker a bit longer, I’ll probably be put on early shifts for the next week as revenge though.” Stiles said, scratching the back of his head like he had when the two of them had first met.

“Wait, baker? I thought you were just the delivery guy?” Derek asked, finally making himself look at Stiles in shock though even as he did so he could feel himself taking in every bit of Stiles’ appearance.

“Not normally? After Malia kind of moved on to doing counter selling with Theo, Cora asked me if I would bring the baked goods here since your family and everything, I was only really doing it as a favour while Cora was looking for a fellow baker. I’ll probably still be delivering here though while she looks for another delivery guy.” Stiles explained, though the way he was tilting his head as Derek took the information in made the elder man remember why he was so keen on Stiles leaving.

But apparently now that Stiles had explained everything to Derek it seemed like the real reason he was here, was lingering between them. Only to be broken when Stiles took a deep breath and sighed.

“Ok, here goes…the real reason I came here was to ask you if maybe you wanted to go out to dinner with me one night?” 

For a moment Derek just stared at him in disbelief as though the words didn’t seem to compute with him.

“What?” he asked, even as his heart seemed to jump at the mere thought of him and Stiles going on a date. Of him possibly being able to have the opportunity to taste those lips and do what he had been fantasising about for the past week to someone who obviously wanted to be with him. But even as he thought about he remembered seeing Stiles and Malia the night before which abruptly brought those thoughts to a shrieking holt. No, no why would Stiles want to go out with him when he was with Malia?

“I asked if you wanted to go out with me...” Stiles repeated, though he was faltering by the end of the sentence as if the answer was more than obvious by Derek’s reaction. His gaze swiftly moving from Derek’s face to his phone as though he couldn’t bare to actually look at Derek’s face when he was turned down.

“I’m sorry….but no. I think you should go back to Cora’s now.” Derek murmured, his gaze falling back to the desk even as his heart fell into his stomach like a cement block into water.

“Oh, ok sure. I’ll see you around then Derek.” Stiles said, the dejection more than obvious in his voice and body language as he walked backwards towards the door, offering Derek a weak smile before he disappeared from view.

Derek buried his face in his hands as he stared down at the pile of papers. All he could hear running around and around in his head was Stiles asking him out over and over again, his heart sinking as he wished he had just said yes. But he loved Malia too much to let her be treated so badly by Stiles, let alone be the one to hurt her in such a way. No, this was for the best even if it really didn’t feel like it at that moment in time.

“Hey what did you say to Stiles? He ran out of here like a ghost was chasing him.” Laura’s voice came from the doorway causing Derek to look at her from his hands and see her sigh as she moved towards him, closing the door behind them. It was rare when there was something so important that meant it was closed, but right now Derek felt like hell and would rather however he was reacting stay between the two of them.

He watched her sit opposite him at the desk, resting her hand on his like she was trying to be the desperately needed emotional anchor that he needed at that moment in time. It wasn’t often that she would be this considerate or touchy feelie, but just like with Derek speaking to her about his thoughts and feelings, it was a once in a while thing when they weren’t worrying about work or their sister. 

“He asked me out Laura…and I said no.” he managed to say, causing Laura to frown as though she couldn’t understand what would possess him to possibly say no to the one person he so obviously wanted and had a chance with.

“I thought you wanted to ask him out, or for something to happen between you? I mean I’ve never seen you acting like your old teenage self over someone the way that you were Stiles. What gives?!” Laura asked, a sigh coming from between Derek’s lips.

“He’s already seeing Malia, Laura. I couldn’t do that to her…” Derek began watching Laura put up a hand to stop him rambling an explanation that she knew for certain had no truth to it at all.

“Wait say that again? Where the hell did you get that from?” Laura asked, causing Derek to frown at her response.

“Didn’t you see the way they were acting together last night? Touchy feelie? Flirty? Come on Laura, it was plain as day when Malia was leading Stiles away from me last night!” Derek murmured causing Laura roll her eyes as she murmured about stupid brothers under her breath.

“No, it’s only a delusion conjured up by someone with so little self confidence in themselves that they look for any possible excuse to talk themselves out of asking an amazing guy out. Malia and Stiles are good friends Derek, they went to the same high school for crying out loud and Malia was the one who pointed Stiles out to Cora for the open Baker’s job. Besides you know how touchy feely Malia is with people. She’s Malia, it’s what she does. You’ve just given up the perfect opportunity to have what you want since you first spotted Stiles because of some misguided sense of family loyalty.” Laura sighed, looking like she wanted to smack Derek up side the head like she’d used to when they were kids.

“Even if I hadn’t thought he was seeing Malia, can you really see someone as amazing as Stiles wanting to go out with me Laura? I mean me, the kind of guy whose dating history is a whose who of the most uncommitted sexual partners known to man?” Derek sighed watching the look on Laura’s face soften as though she knew that what Derek was saying was a true problem.

It had been the case since Kate and got steadily worse with each sexual partner he had taken into his bed. His confidence was so low that it was practically none existent, no matter how attractive people saw him as it wasn’t solely that which made Derek tick. He needed someone who saw past the external beauty and could see how beautiful not to mention how brokenly fragile Derek’s soul was. And Laura was sure that was Stiles to a T, if only Derek would make the effort. 

“Of course I can. Because someone as amazing as Stiles doesn’t care about the past and will care about you and love you for who you are. Sure he may have seen an attractive guy with a hot bod and all…which you know is hard for me to say, but he’s not that shallow. You need to give him a chance.” Laura said softly, tapping his hand with her own soothingly.

“If he’ll give me another chance…” Derek sighed, watching Laura get that look in her eye that often meant she was planning something. But though her plans were not always the wisest known to man, this time he was desperate enough that he would gladly go along with anything that she said if it got him and Stiles together in the same room let alone as a couple.

“You feeling up for a night at the bar tonight?”

XOX

For the second night in a row, after making sure to close up since Laura had to go and speak to Cora about her plan, and after changing clothes to something that wasn’t covered in spilled coffees and sticky vanilla syrup, Derek made his way to the bar. His heart was thudding in his chest at the thought of having to ask Stiles out…usually he waited for it to be the other way around but now that he had effectively made that plan null in void after turning him down he had no other choice.

With a small smile at Boyd as he entered, he looked around for his sisters and spotted them whispering in one of the booths. He made his way to the bar to order a drink from Liam and saw his younger sister’s beau give him a sympathetic smile as if Cora had told him everything. 

“Any sign of him yet?” Derek asked as Liam went about uncapping his beer. 

“Not yet, but Cora did say she had to send Malia to get him. Apparently she thought it was hilarious that you thought they were dating.” Liam grinned causing Derek to roll his eyes as he took a sip of his beer and leaned against the bar with his gaze fixated on the entrance.

Soon enough Malia appeared, dragging a reluctant Stiles into the bar, murmuring reassurance into his ear as though to distract him from the fact that Derek was actually there. But it didn’t seem to work as the moment Stiles spotted the elder male there he tried to make a break for it back towards the exit causing Malia to hush him as she tightened her grip on his arm and led him towards the other side of the bar to give Stiles some space.

Derek swallowed as he looked down at his beer, picking the label off the bottle as he tried to work up the courage to do this while at the same time trying to keep his gaze off Stiles so he didn’t scare him off. It looked like he was going to need all the courage he could get at this rate. 

“Hey Liam can you get me a scotch, another couple of regulars for Cora and Laura…and whatever Malia and Stiles are ordering?” Derek sighed, slapping a twenty on the bar when he just knew that beer wasn’t going to do the job. 

He watched the younger blonde male raise an eyebrow as he nodded, putting Derek’s scotch in front of him and grabbing the note before going to ask the couple what they wanted. He could feel Stiles watching him out the corner of his eye but tried to pretend he hadn’t noticed. No, not yet…rushing this wasn’t going to make it any easier. He took a deep swig from the drink and grimaced as he let it burn his throat, trying to resolutely focus on the question he was wanting to ask to stop himself from running away again.

But all too soon, instead of him approaching Stiles, Stiles had left Malia to stand beside him at the bar fidgeting with his drink. Derek licked his lips, letting the smell of the cologne that Stiles was wearing engulf his senses to the point that he had convinced himself he could do this when Stiles spoke.

“You know, you never did tell me why you said no…” Stiles mumbled causing Derek to freeze as he looked at his profile to ease himself into their conversation.

“I thought you were dating my cousin, and I would never do anything to hurt her.” Derek said, watching Stiles frown as he actually looked at him fully.

“What? You thought me and Malia were together? What possibly led you to think that?” Stiles asked, the frown giving way to a look of disbelief as though the thought of dating Malia had never so much as crossed his mind in all the time he had known her.

“The way you were acting last night all couply, I just…I guess it was easier for me to think you were straight and with Malia than to think I had any possible chance with you…if I had any chance at all.” Derek sighed, knowing this wasn’t exactly turning out the way he had hoped it would but at least they were talking. 

“Derek I have never wanted to go out with a girl since my failed attempt at courting my friend Heather in fourth grade. I mean I tried it on sure, but even Heather could see my mind was on the Lacrosse team more than wanting to get in her pants. Malia is and has always been the best female friend a guy could ask for, surprisingly supportive in helping me work up the nerve to speak to you too actually.” Stiles shrugged, leaning against the bar top.

“So what are you saying?” Derek asked, his mouth suddenly dry at the thought of the words on the tip of his tongue.

“I’m saying, if you had just asked me about me and Malia instead of jumping to conclusions I would have easily told you there was nothing but a platonic bond there. We would then be on our first amazing date, instead of being here stared at by your sisters and cousin as we’re talking. Which I don’t know about you but I really want right now.” Stiles said, licking his lips and causing Derek to swallow as he watched his tongue move back and forth against the seam of his lips.

“So if I asked you if you wanted to go out with me…ignoring the fact my family is watching us carefully…what would you say?” Derek asked, watching a bright smile light up the younger male’s face which seemed like the most breathtaking sight Derek had ever seen before in his life.

“I’d say let’s get the hell out of here.” Stiles beamed, setting his empty glass down on the bar and turning to look at Derek eagerly.

“I’m definitely game for that.” Derek smiled, downing the rest of his scotch and letting his hand slide into Stiles’ when it was offered to him. He could feel his sisters and even Malia smiling at his back as he let himself be led out the bar with Liam’s wolf whistles following them.

The date was definitely one of the tamer ones Derek had ever been on and yet part of him was relieved at the ease of pressure. When it had come to Braeden and Kate it had been clubbing or just nights in fucking, neither of them really asking him what he wanted to do, contrary to what Stiles had done. They had ended up walking towards a diner and just sitting there getting to know the other more over desert, not that there seemed to be much for Derek to tell Stiles that he hadn’t already been told by Malia or either of his sisters the night before when they were talking him up to the younger male.

Instead Derek was perfectly happy to be regaled with Stiles’ tales of culinary school, content with every laugh that came from between his lips, every smile on his lips or how he would gesture with his hands excitedly at some bits to make a point. He was a big ball of energy whose aura seemed to brighten in Derek’s presence and the smile on Derek’s face was the by product. Up till then Derek honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled so much. Soon they were walking in what Derek assumed was the general direction of Stiles’ apartment, which turned out to be the apartment over Cora’s Bakery which she had leased to him after he started there.

The atmosphere was filled with a slight sense of shyness and yet excitement as they hovered outside the bakery, Stiles biting his lip as though there was something he wanted to say but didn’t know how to without pushing things between them on their first date. But before he could voice whatever it was Derek’s courage seemed to spill over and he brushed his fingers against Stiles’ cheek as he softly pressed a kiss to his lips.

At least it was supposed to be a soft chaste kiss but with Stiles on the other end, the sound of him moaning and murmuring as his arms wrapped around his neck to pull him closer, it quickly became filthy. Tongues brushing against the other and Derek nipping teasingly at his lower lip as his hands rested on the small of Stiles’ back to keep him close. 

“Oh god...” Stiles panted, when their lips parted and their foreheads rested against the others, Derek’s heart racing as he stared into those alluring honey eyes.

“I’d say we should go up to yours…but I’m sure that could wait for another time.” Derek murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his lips and pulling away before he got pulled into another kiss. If it happened he knew he would never leave.

“At least come up for coffee?” Stiles begged, using those gorgeous eyes of his to try and talk him into it. 

“Not tonight, I want to take things slow between us. I promise it will be more than worth it when we do though.” Derek assured him with a smile, brushing his thumb over Stiles’ swollen bottom lip causing Stiles to moan.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning then?” Stiles sighed reluctantly when Derek took a step back to part them.

“That you will, I’ll give you that coffee then.” Derek assured, watching Stiles grin at him over his shoulder as he went into the building before letting out a deeply content sigh as he started walking towards his own building.

There was no way he was going to let that man out of his life. He’d made that mistake before and would do everything to keep him there.

Fin. 


End file.
